Dylan Raiola was something of an outlier for Nebraska, but he won’t be the last highly-touted quarterback that Matt Rhule brings to Lincoln. Rhule already has another on the way in 2027, four-star Trae Taylor, the highest-ranked committed QB in the class. And if the hype around Taylor wasn’t enough, the young future Cornhusker is already lending the program a helping hand in its recruiting efforts.
Taylor is focusing his recruiting efforts on five-star safety Tory Pittman III, the top-ranked player in the state of Nebraska for 2027. According to 247Sports Composite, the Omaha native is the 16th-ranked player in the country and the top at his position.
While Pittman’s recruiting process is still in the early stages, Rivals has recently logged a prediction for him to choose Nebraska, and Taylor knows just how important that would be.
I have said it from day 1 @ToryP_3 is a must that we keep home. https://t.co/F6uHfoEn6L
— Trae Taylor (@Qb6Trae) July 29, 2025
Trae Taylor views Tory Pittman III as Nebraska’s top priority in 2027 class
Taylor is currently the only player committed to the Cornhuskers in 2027, but with his obvious dedication to the program, he appears to be a foundational piece for Rhule to construct the group around. If Nebraska lands Pittman to go with Taylor, then the Husker hype will reach new levels.
Pittman is an elite athlete, splitting time for Omaha Central at safety and wide receiver, and competing on a national level in the long jump. That type of athletic profile with a 6-foot, 185-pound frame is enough to draw the attention of just about every major program in the country, with offers flowing in from Oregon, Notre Dame, and Michigan this spring.
It won’t be easy to keep those established powerhouses, and many others that have shown an interest in Pittman, at bay. But if Rhule closes the deal, the combination of Pittman and Taylor, the 69th overall player in the country, should lead to the strongest recruiting class of his tenure.
Rhule has increased the recruiting standard since taking over Nebraska, and heading into his third season, those efforts should begin to pay off. With Raiola headlining the group, Rhule’s 2024 class ranked No. 18 in the country, the program’s highest 247Sports Composite rank since 2019.
The 2026 recruiting class is lagging behind, currently ranked No. 72 in the nation with just 12 commits, but the start of Rhule’s tenure has already provided more than enough reason to believe that it will be much stronger by signing day in December.